Need advice. 1911 Valor vs Range Officer

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    Plinker
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    I've had them both sitting in my shopping online shopping cart all week. I've been reading everything I can get my hands on. I was wanting to get a single stack .45 to be used primarily for range target shooting and IDPA. All of my existing handguns are 9mm with the SA XDM 5.25 being my favorite.

    I think I want the Dan Wesson Valor .45 ACP (stainless). However, I am on the fence of whether or not its a big step up from a SA Range Officer. I keep going back and forth from A) Would I notice a difference in accuracy or B) Would I "want more" if I bought the Range Officer and end up buying the DW .45 anyways.


    Curious on your feedback. Open to other suggestions too, but the $1500 is the limit of I want to buy.
     

    churchmouse

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    The RO is a great gun for the price point. I have owned several. They accept Mods readily and respond well to them. They are accurate out of the box more so than the average shooter but they can be "Tightened" up a bit if you wish/need.

    Th DW is a well fit and reliable 1911. They are strikingly handsome compared to the RO which is utilitarian in appearance. Both function as expected.
    The DW is already filled with forged parts. I have not seen one yet that did not need some love as to the trigger but they are better out of the box than the RO. The RO trigger will come around as the MIM bits get worked.

    Myself, I would get the RO but then I would get all stupid modifying it. Your personal preference.
     

    throttletony

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    I was facing a similar situation this last summer. I ended up getting a DW Specialist (think "railed, ambi Valor"). I also love the SA loaded operator. For the price, it is hard to beat the RO, but you sound like you may do some upgrades down the line. so it might be a toss up.
    Have you looked at the DW pointman (competition 1911). It might be a more direct competitor to the RO, but a heftier price tag.

    I don't think you'd see much of a difference in accuracy - as both are better than most shooter's skills. the DW has the advantage of having at-least-similar-AND-generally-better parts (there's not a piece on it that could be called worse).

    The DW blems offer a great value if that appeals - especially the stainless models. You can find a blem Valor for around $1100-1200 if you're ok with the blem (there's a paper indicating what the blem is, and the serial number on the gun has an upside down "Y" next to it). They carry a full warranty of function but not cosmetics. Of the dozen or so DW blems I've held, I could only find the blem on 1, and it was so minor that nobody would notice it if not looking for it.

    My next 1911 with be a DW CCO or ECO, or the V-BOB (Valor with a bobbed grip) and later.
     
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    Dean C.

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    I would go with the Valor, my Dan Wessons have been flawless and have allot of features you would have to otherwise add to the RO (I personally consider front strap checkering and forged ignition parts mandatory for my 1911's).


    pXoysy2h.jpg



    c5Lx6FBh.jpg


    This is my custom Springfield MC Operator, took about $1500 in gunsmithing to make it better than a Dan Wesson Specialist for example.
     

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    Plinker
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    Jan 12, 2016
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    I was facing a similar situation this last summer. I ended up getting a DW Specialist (think "railed, ambi Valor"). I also love the SA loaded operator. For the price, it is hard to beat the RO, but you sound like you may do some upgrades down the line. so it might be a toss up.
    Have you looked at the DW pointman (competition 1911). It might be a more direct competitor to the RO, but a heftier price tag.

    I don't think you'd see much of a difference in accuracy - as both are better than most shooter's skills. the DW has the advantage of having at-least-similar-AND-generally-better parts (there's not a piece on it that could be called worse).

    The DW blems offer a great value if that appeals - especially the stainless models. You can find a Valor for under $1100 if you're ok with the blem (there's a paper indicating what the blem is, and the serial number on the gun has an upside down "Y" next to it). They carry a full warranty of function but not cosmetics. Of the dozen or so DW blems I've held, I could only find the blem on 1, and it was so minor that nobody would notice it if not looking for it.

    My next 1911 with be a DW CCO or ECO, or the V-BOB (Valor with a bobbed grip) and later.

    I haven't seen any blem models for sale. Where do you typically find those?
     

    throttletony

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    I should also add that the DW blems are usually $150-$200 less than the lowest price you can find for a non-blem of the same model. This has been my experience, hopefully someone else can add some more info to this.
     

    88E30M50

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    I'd go with the Valor unless you are looking for a project gun. The RO is nice, but it takes some love to make it really nice. Like CM mentions, the RO can be tightened and have all tool steel parts fit internally and will run great. The DW is good to go right out of the box. DW uses a true radius sear and all tool steel innards. I have a couple that I've wanted to work on, but know that they won't get much better with the love.
     

    wtburnette

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    As you should be able to infer by other posts, the DW is the better gun out of the box. You're talking about a low end SA model vs a flagship model from DW. The RO offers a great value, but yes, you will want to have work done to it to make it better, at least eventually. The Valor is pretty much perfect the way it is. You may want to change grips, or sights or something down the road, but you won't need to do nearly as much work as you would need to with the RO. So, RO if you want a lower end project gun or DW if you want to buy something you likely won't have to mess with afterwards... ;)
     

    Thegeek

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    Johnson Co? I'll meet you at a range and you can run as many rounds through my Valor as you want to buy. It's a great gun. Only problems I had were magazine related, and it seemed to be "sticky" for the first couple hundred rounds. Like the trigger didn't want to reset. I also sent the slide out and had a disconnector ramp machined into the stripping block. I don't have experience with any other 1911, but this thing is the smoothest semi-auto pistol I've ever shot. Still has the factory sights, and I don't care for them.
     

    churchmouse

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    Johnson Co? I'll meet you at a range and you can run as many rounds through my Valor as you want to buy. It's a great gun. Only problems I had were magazine related, and it seemed to be "sticky" for the first couple hundred rounds. Like the trigger didn't want to reset. I also sent the slide out and had a disconnector ramp machined into the stripping block. I don't have experience with any other 1911, but this thing is the smoothest semi-auto pistol I've ever shot. Still has the factory sights, and I don't care for them.

    I have the ramp you mention cut into all of my 1911's. AllenM is set up for this work.
    As to it sticking.....I break a new to me gun down 1st before firing it especially a used on. Clean and lube.
     

    357 Terms

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    I don't have a RO, I do have a TRP and an MC operator, those are a step above the RO in my opinion. My DW is the best 1911 I own, no need for mods, if you don't have the means or desire to tinker with the platform, get the Valor and be done.
     

    Thegeek

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    After I had mine done, I took it to Allen and showed him. He liked what he saw. I took it for him to check out my ambi safety fit (was my first and wanted experienced eyes on it).
     

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    Plinker
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    Thanks for all the feeeback. Ive ruled out the RO now.
    Needle is leaning more towards the DW now. Anyone have any experience with the DW pointman pm9 9mm? I was reading some good reviews on it. Has an adjustable back sight and being 9mm I'd be able to shoot a lot more ($).
     

    Doublehelix

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    I have the DW Silverback, and it has been flawless and beautiful. AllenM looked at it and shot it one day, and I asked him what he would do to it, and he said, "Absolutely nothing". The Silverback is basically a modified Valor.

    I think DW was originally a GREAT gun, and then they had a few years where their reputation went down a bit, but CZ bought them and invested in them, and over the last many years, they are really back to GREAT again, and probably better than before.

    They are not Churchmouse's favorite for some reason, but I think it has been a while since he has shot one of the newer ones. I am going to have to let him check out my Silverback one of these days!!! As he mentions, he likes to tinker with his guns, and I am sure he can make ANY gun better than when bought new!
     

    LCSOSgt11

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    I would go the the Range Officer "Elite". Springfield just came out with this line, and they have several sizes from full sized to compact. All have the Black-T metal treatment. I would suggest staying with a pistol with a barrel bushing, however. Some of the line are bushingless.
     

    vangurley

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    Just my opinion but I would highly recommend the Dan Wesson’s. I feel that they are the best 1911 for the money. I have several more expensive 1911’s and I have been very impressed with my DW guns. Never had an issue with any of mine, they just run.
     

    churchmouse

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    Thanks for all the feeeback. Ive ruled out the RO now.
    Needle is leaning more towards the DW now. Anyone have any experience with the DW pointman pm9 9mm? I was reading some good reviews on it. Has an adjustable back sight and being 9mm I'd be able to shoot a lot more ($).[/QUOTE"45 ACP"
     

    vangurley

    Plinker
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    I have the Specialist in 9mm, it’s a lazer. Guy I know that I’ve shot IDPA matches with has a Pointman 9 and he loves it. Tripp mags have run great for us too.
     
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